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Topic: The Land of the Free
Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Thu 07/24/08 01:15 PM Edited by Rapunzel on Thu 07/24/08 01:27 PM
We live in the Land of the Free because of the Brave This message is kind of long, but it is well ~ worth reading Thanks Doug < Kayak > for sharing this powerful message I retitled it ... < Think twice , before you jump to conclusions > 'Some people!' snorted a man standing behind me in the long line at the grocery store. 'You would think the manager would pay attention and open another line,' said a woman. I looked to the front of the line to see what the hold up was and saw a well dressed, young woman, trying to get the machine to accept her credit card. No matter how many times she swiped it, the machine kept rejecting it. 'It's one of them welfare card things. Damn people need to get a job like everyone else,' said the man standing behind me. The young woman turned around to see who had made the comment. 'It was me,' he said, pointing to himself. The young lady's face began to change expression. Almost in tears, she dropped the welfare card onto the counter and quickly walked out of the store. Everyone in the checkout line watched as she began running to her car. Never looking back, she got in and drove away. {After developing cancer in 1977 and having had to use food stamps; the person who wrote this story said he learned never to judge anyone, without knowing the circumstances of their life. } This turned out to be the case today. Several minutes later a young man walked into the store. He went up to the cashier & asked if she had seen the woman. After describing her, the cashier told him that she had run out of the store, got into her car, and drove away. 'Why would she do that?' asked the man. Everyone in the line looked around at the fellow who had made the statement. 'I made a stupid comment about the welfare card she was using. Something I shouldn't have said. I'm sorry,' said the man. 'Well, that's bad, real bad, in fact. Her brother was killed in Afghanistan two years ago. His wife died of cancer a few months later. They had three young children and she has taken on that responsibility. She's twenty years old, single, and now has three children to support,' he said in a very firm voice. 'I'm really truly sorry. I didn't know,' he replied, shaking both his hands about. The young man asked, 'Are these paid for?' pointing to the shopping cart full of groceries. 'It wouldn't take her card,' the clerk told him. 'Do you know where she lives?' asked the man who had made the comment. 'Yes, she goes to our church.' 'Excuse me,' he said as he made his way to the front of the line . He pulled out his wallet, took out his credit card and told the cashier, 'Please use my card. PLEASE!' The clerk took his credit card and began to ring up the young woman's groceries. 'Hold on,' said the gentleman. He walked back to his shopping cart and began loading his own groceries onto the belt to be included. 'Come on people. We got three kids to help raise!' he told everyone in line. Everyone began to place their groceries onto the fast moving belt. A few customers began bagging the food and placing it into separate carts. 'Go back and get two big turkeys,' yelled a heavyset woman, as she looked at the man. 'NO,' yelled the man. Everyone stopped dead in their tracks. The entire store became quiet for several seconds. 'Four turkeys,' yelled the man. Everyone began laughing and went back to work. When all was said and done, the man paid a total of $1,646.57 for the groceries. He then walked over to the side, pulled out his check book, and began writing a check using the bags of dog food piled near the front of the store for a writing surface. He turned around and handed the check to the young man. 'She will need a freezer and a few other things as well,' he told the man. The young man looked at the check and said, 'This is really very generous of you.' 'No,' said the man. 'Her brother was the generous one.' Everyone in the store had been observing the odd commotion and began to clap. And I drove home that day feeling very American. We live in the Land of the free, because of the Brave!!! Remember our Troops of Yesterday and Today!!! A great example of why we should be kind and patient. Kindness is the language the blind can see and the deaf can hear. May God's many blessings continue to be with you - ALWAYS!!! PLEASE KEEP THIS GOING.... IT WILL OPEN A LOT OF EYES, HOPEFULLY HEARTS, AND KEEP SOME MOUTHS SHUT..~~

Megan_Smiles Joined Tue 04/08/08 Posts: 526	Thu 07/24/08 01:24 PM
omg...I'm a little teary eyed...just got involved with a soldier. Thank you

Wiccancowboy Joined Mon 10/01/07 Posts: 800	Thu 07/24/08 01:26 PM
I hate to say this my dear Rapunzel but for every eye or heart opened there more closed and numbed to these facts untill they see them with their own two eyes.

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Thu 07/24/08 01:53 PM
omg...I'm a little teary eyed...just got involved with a soldier. Thank you ooohhh...thank you so much... Love and Light to You I wish you so well with your Soldier Man... please pray for Him always and please never take him for granted, cause our Soldiers ... all of our Military Men & Women are so awesome the absolute best of the very best

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Thu 07/24/08 02:07 PM
I hate to say this my dear Rapunzel but for every eye or heart opened there more closed and numbed to these facts untill they see them with their own two eyes. Oh, Wiccan Cowboy America's Hero !!! How fortunate I am to have the honor of knowing you How blessed & honored we are to know that you are Here for us How lucky we are that You & your Comrades were There for us. & that you could go back to the warzone again ~ at a mere moment's notice No matter how numb & void of love & thankfulness others may appear to be I will never stop caring, loving, praying for & being thankful for All of You My very special Dear... Precious William ...love & hugs to you

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Thu 07/24/08 06:27 PM


carizma1962 Joined Sat 06/07/08 Posts: 461	Thu 07/24/08 06:36 PM
wow, i got tears rolling down my cheeks,,

kayak69 Joined Sat 10/14/06 Posts: 4521	Thu 07/24/08 06:40 PM Edited by kayak69 on Thu 07/24/08 06:42 PM
I just knew that you would do something like this with it (((((((THANK YOU)))))))

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Thu 07/24/08 06:52 PM
wow, i got tears rolling down my cheeks,, yes...i know how you feel, cuz this message affected me like it did you , too... it's good to be alive & to feel deep emotion sooo good to have that kind of reaction to something so important & so precious thank you

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Thu 07/24/08 06:55 PM
I just knew that you would do something like this with it (((((((THANK YOU))))))) Hi Doug...How are you my Awesome friend & Brother Some messages are just too precious & poignant to not share with as many people as possible... thank you

Wiccancowboy Joined Mon 10/01/07 Posts: 800	Fri 07/25/08 10:23 AM
Rapunzel it is I who should be honored for knowing such an Amazing and rare woman like you.

krupa Joined Thu 07/03/08 Posts: 18651	Fri 07/25/08 10:33 AM
Right on....made my day! Nice to know that not all people suck. Gotta love it when folks do the right thing.

Wiccancowboy Joined Mon 10/01/07 Posts: 800	Fri 07/25/08 10:38 AM
People can do the right thing but they Choose not to.

plp Joined Mon 05/07/07 Posts: 589	Fri 07/25/08 10:43 AM
Good Job! I am on disablity and few people understand why I collect it.

BlueskyJ Joined Tue 06/26/07 Posts: 2927	Fri 07/25/08 11:02 AM
Nice story & yes even with our faults is great to be an American..... as I said in another thread we may come from different places, have different ethnicities and family backrounds....but when it comes down to it we are all One.....under the same sun....

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Fri 07/25/08 11:11 AM Edited by Rapunzel on Fri 07/25/08 11:16 AM
Rapunzel it is I who should be honored for knowing such an Amazing and rare woman like you. William...Will I Am ... I love that Name You always succeed at amazing me... Here you are ...just back from Iraq... and you are giving < me > such accolades? Oh My : My Dear Will... I am so humbled & amazed thank you so much , I really appreciate your love & respect It truly means a lot to me, especially coming from a Brave Soldier like You However I am just a civilian , part of the worldwide audience Watching from the sidelines with much concern, appreciation, Love Prayers, & lots of Respect It is I ~ who with such good reason is so thoroughly in amazing awe of You

Wiccancowboy Joined Mon 10/01/07 Posts: 800	Fri 07/25/08 12:52 PM
My Mother who after so many years of being independent has to rely on me and other to help pay bills beacause the state of Texas doesnt give her enought money to support herself. But we realized that Arizona does a better job so we go west yet again, but this tme its me and her against the worl like its been since the day i was born 23 years ago. wish me luck in my endevors of the unknown and to help me get everything i need straitened out. Wiccancowboy William C. Monteith, II

mandyatl81 Joined Wed 10/10/07 Posts: 4267	Fri 07/25/08 12:55 PM
rapunzel you so rock...my fiance, dad and 2 uncles are ex-military

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Sat 07/26/08 08:43 AM Edited by Rapunzel on Sat 07/26/08 08:44 AM
My Mother who after so many years of being independent has to rely on me and other to help pay bills beacause the state of Texas doesnt give her enought money to support herself. But we realized that Arizona does a better job so we go west yet again, but this tme its me and her against the worl like its been since the day i was born 23 years ago. wish me luck in my endevors of the unknown and to help me get everything i need straitened out. Wiccancowboy William C. Monteith, II Dear William... My heart goes out to you I know a little of what you are up against... At such a young age you have such a huge amount of responsibility & concern... not only for what you are doing in Army Bases here in the States, at home, but also your amazing service in the warzones overseas... your hard work, money & dedication given lovingly to your Family... There are not very many men like you, My Dear Will... Your Mother has worked so hard all of her life with tough jobs that many men wouldn't even take and now she is very injured her body is tired... & like the amazingly dedicated loving & loyal Son that you are you have taken her plight on... & it makes me sad to see what you go through and it makes me very sad & angry too... that Our Country doesn't help our Veterans and the Families of Veterans more than they do I hope & pray that things get much much better I pray that your needs & wants are met fully & i pray that all the needs of your Mom are met

Rapunzel Joined Tue 08/22/06 Posts: 16246	Sat 07/26/08 09:29 AM
rapunzel you so rock...my fiance, dad and 2 uncles are ex-military Hi there Mandy How's it going ? !!! Thank you so much for stopping by !!! Well, thanks...I appreciate your compliments i do try to rock as much as possible !!! Special Love & Thanks to your Fiance' !!! Your Dad & Your Two Uncles !!!